Carrier bar control mechanism



Jan. 26, 1943.

J. L. BEERS v CARRIER BAR CONTROL MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1940 Jan. 25, 194- 3. J 1 E s 2,3@9,091

' CARRIER BAR CONTROL MECHANISM Filed April 15, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v l w 87 E k J 5.7 42 7g v 76 a 1 R I 42' i Q 1% X 88 x U 4 i? 91 Jan.26,1943 J,L BEERS 2,309,091- v CARRIER BAR CONTROL MECHANISM 7 Filed April 15, 1940' 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 VZJZUERZUZ" Q I JasepjzLfieers u i iitwrjigy Jan 26, 1943. BEERS I 2,39,091

A CARRIER BAR CONTROL MECHANISM Filed April is, 1940 Patented Jan. 26, 1943 UNE'E'ED CARRIER. BAR CONTROL MEC HANISIVE Joseph L. Beers, Bloomfield, N. 3., assignor to Julius Kayser & 00., New York, N. Y.

Application April 13, 1940, Serial No. 329,425

18 Claims.

The invention generally relates to a flat knitting machine, and has for its principal object the selective operation of one or more carrier bars in a predetermined sequence, and the snubbing and locking of the carrier bars as they approach and reach their final limit of travel in completing their yarn laying operation.

The invention more particularly pertains to a,

full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine, and has to do with the combination of a yarn carrier bar selecting mechanism and a novel type of snubbing and locking device operating in synchronism with the selecting mechanism to automatically snub the final movement of the carrier bars and lock the same.

Specifically the present invention contemplates the provision of a mechanism automatically functioning to control in selective fashion a plurality of yarn carrier bars of a flat knitting ma chine, this application being a continuation in part of my copending applications Serial Number SSS/73, filed November 3, 1933, and Serial Number 266,657, filed June 14, 1935, which applications under date of September 9, 1940, matured into Letters Patents No. 2,213,298 and No. 2,213,299, respectively.

It is the primary purpose of the invention to provide a mechanism operatively associated with a carrier bar of a flat knitting machine, and operable to brake the travel or" said bar as it approaches the limit of its stroke, said mechanism also being adaptable to lock the carrier bar upon reaching the end of its stroke,

The invention particularly aims to provide, in

a full-fashioned knitting machine, a locking device capable of producing a braking action for the snubbing of the final movement of each of a plurality of carrier bars in o stopped position, and locking the same against rebound, said device being operated directly from a working part of said machine.

t is also an important object of the invention to provide a locking device which is mounted independently of the narrowing head and is not subject to the rebounds of the vibratory actions of the narrowing head, thereby eliminating the possibility of broken needles, sharpened sinkers, cut-ins, and poor selvedges.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a locking device having a plurality of carrier bar engaging elements, one for each of a plurality of carrier bars in a flat knitting machine, each eiement being in permanent engagement with its corresponding carrier bar and D- eratively associated with means to govern its function in a positive, assured manner.

The invention moreover contemplates the incorporation, in a unitary mechanism, of a carrier bar locking and releasing device and a carrier bar operating device, said devices being operated and controlled directly from the friction rod and main cam shaft of the knitting machine.

A feature of the invention also resides in the direct association and connection of the locking device with the drive mechanism for the carrier bars, whereby the two devices are operated in unison and in proper timed relation to prevent improper operation and locking of the carrier bars.

Another feature of the invention resides in the direct relation between a brake and driving mechanism, and of the friction rod and friction box associated therewith, whereby the frictional action of the brake is applied before the frictional pressure of the carrier bar against the narrowing head stop is released, thereby firmly and frictionally holding the carrier bar in position to prevent rebound.

The invention is moreover distinguished by the novel features and method of operation of the braking device and the mechanism for setting into operation said braking device, and also the carrier bar operating device which may be associated therewith.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the braking and locking device showing its association with parts of the knitting machine.

Figure 2 is a detail of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail in cross section of one of the brake devices.

Figure 4 is a detail of the operating ratchet show the successive steps in the operation of the device.

Figure 17 is a section illustrating a modified construction of the invention.

The mechanism shown in the drawings is equipped for association with three carrier bars, although it is to be understood that the mechanism may be readily constructed for association with a different number of carrier bars.

The mechanism is operated from the main cam shaft Ill of the machine by a cam ll engaging a roller l2 on an arm 13 pivoted at I i on a bracket l5 mounted on a portion [6 of the usual frame of the knitting machine The roller I2 is moved away from the shaft H] by the action of the cam l l and the return movement is effected by means of a spring I1 connected to the arm l3 and anchored to a suitable part of the machine frame. A shogging movement of the main cam shaft lfl brings a member or idle cam I8 into engagement with the roller I2 so that the mechanism remains inactive until such time as the shaft I0 is again shogged to bring the cam I I back into engagement with the roller [2.

Secured to the arm i3 is a second arm it which is connected to a rod for operating an arm 2! pivotally mounted on one of the shafts (such as the fashioning shaft 22) at the rear of the knitting machine. The arm 2! carries a pawl 23 adapted for engagement with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 24 secured to a cam sleeve 2t mounted on said shaft 22.

The carrier rod braking and locking device is mounted above, and is controlled by, said cam sleeve 25 in the manner hereinafter described. A supporting bar 28 is suitably mounted on fixed portions of the framework of the knitting machine and carries a bracket 29 secured thereto by means of screws 30, or like fastening elements.

Mounted in ball-bearings 4| so as to rotate freely in the bracket 29 are shafts :2 having their end portions extended to project outwardly of said bracket carried on a bar 28. Mounted upon one end of each shaft 42 is a gear 43 which meshes with, and actuates, a toothed rack 4d,

the latter being provided with depending lugs 45 to which is secured one of the usual carrier rods 46 supporting the thread carrier fingers 47 of any suitable well known type.

The carrier rods 46 are supported and guided on the machine in the usual well known manner, and the thread carrier fingers 4! are arranged at suitable positions so as to lay the thread in any desired manner. The carrier rods 46 are adapted to receive their yarn laying movements in the customary manner through actuation of the usual friction rod 48 and main friction boxes, one of which is shown at 49 in Figure 11 of the drawings. Each friction box 39 is preferably provided with pivot fingers 58 adapted to be swung into, or out of, operative engagement with the respective carrier bars.

Mounted upon the other end of each shaft 42 is an externally grooved brake pulley 5! and associated with each pulley is a brake 52 adapted to snub the rotation of the associated pulley when the carrier bar approaches the limit of its stroke, and to stop the rotation of said pulley and lock the same when the carrier bar has reached its final distance of traveland has contacted its respective end stop.

As clearly shown in Figure 3, each brake device consists of a pair of centrally pivoted jaws 53 and 54 mounted in the groove of the pulley. These jaws are adapted to be swung into frictional engagement with the walls of the groove of the pulley when moved about their pivots 55. To swing the jaws about their pivots, there is preferably provided a wedge shoe 55 having one end pivoted to one of the jaws, as indicated at 57, and its other end shaped into a cam 58 disposed to bear upon a roller 59 carried by the other jaw. This shoe 55 is drawn into braking position by means of a spring 60 having one end connected to the shoe and its other end connected to a stationary part of the attachment. The shoe is moved against the action of the spring 60 by means of a lever 6| mounted on a stub shaft 62 carried by bearing brackets 63 on the bar 28, said lever having an extension 64 carrying an adjustable stop 55 disposed to bear directly against a set screw 66 carried by the shoe 56. Thus it will be appreciated that when movement is given to the lever 61, the extension 6 will control the action of the shoe 56, that is to say, when the lever swings in the direction indicated by arrow A, the extension 64 will depress the shoe 55 against the action of the spring 60 thus destroying the braking action by allowing the jaws 53 and 54 to move out of frictional engagement with the walls of the groove in the pulley 5!, but when the lever swings in the direction of arrow B, the extension 84 will recede from the shoe 55, allowing the spring 50 to move said shoe in wedging engagement with the roller 59 thus causing the jaws 53 and 54 to move into frictional engagement with the walls of the groove in the pulley 5i.

Swinging movement is imparted to the lever 51 by means of the cam sleeve 26 which, for that purpose, is actuated with a step-by-step motion in proper timed relation to the operation of the machine, and carries three sets of cams 68 cooperating with rollers 69 on the levers 6| to swing the same successively. The sets of cams 68 are spaced at substantially apart, as clearly shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, enabling one lever at a time to be moved into position to release the braking jaws 53 and 54, thereby freeing the carrier bars one at a time, and to snub or brake the movement of said carrier bars as they approach the end of their travel in the manner to be described fully hereinafter.

As hereinbefore stated, the invention also contemplates the association of a carrier bar operating device with the carrier bar locking and releasing device just described. This is preferably accomplished, as shown in Figures 8 to 11, inclusive, by mounting on the bar 28 between the bracket 29 and the guide member 10 a longitudinally movable toothed rack H adapted to be automatically reciprocated in timed relation to the operation of the machine through the medium of the friction rod 48 and main friction box 49. For that purpose, the main friction box :9 carries a member 12 having a projecting end '13 disposed to engage a recess in one face of said rack H, the rack being held in engagement with the member by means of a set screw 74. In this manner, the movement of the friction rod 48 is transmitted to the rack 7| which, in turn, actuates three toothed pinions 15 for the actuation of the three thread carrier bars 45 embodied in this improved attachment.

Each of the three pinions 15 is fixedly mounted upon a sleeve 18 loose on the shaft 42, and is connected by pins H to one member 18 of a clutch, the cooperating member 79 of which is mounted upon said sleeve 76 so as to rotate freely thereon and so as to move axially and out of clutching engagement with the member '58.

Secured to each clutch member l9 and extending through the adjacent brake pulley M are guide pins 8% adapted to slide freely through said pulley as the clutch is engaged or disengaged.

Secured by means of nuts 8% to the free ends of the pins 853 is a disc 32, while a coil spring 83 is held in compression between said disc 82 and pulley 55 so that the clutch member 19 is normally held out of engagement with its cooperating member 18.

The operation of the clutch member it and i9 is effected by means of an extension 8% on the lever 65. This extension 84 is provided with an adjustable tappet 85 adapted to bear against the disc 82 so that the clutch member it may be moved towards the clutch member 8 for the interconnection thereof and the driving of the shaft 42. The arrangement is such that the actuation of the rack H from the friction box 49 rotates all the pinions 75, but the clutch members are so actuated that only one of the pinions l5 imparts its rotary motion to the corresponding gear 43 so that one of the racks at is actuated in synchronism with the rack ll while the re maining racks 44 remain stationary.

Attention'is called to the fact that a single lever 6i and one set of cam members 63 control the operation of both a brake device and a clutch, and through the latter, the selective operation of a gear 63.

The tappet 85 consists of a spring pressed plunger 86 having a limited movement relative to the barrel 8'? in which it is mounted, which i barrel is formed in said extension B l of the lever 5 l. The plunger 86 is adapted to come into direct contact with the disc 82 when the lever has been thrown the required distance to bring about engagement of the clutch members. Each plunger is provided with a lug 88 arranged in the path of movement of a centrally pivoted control finger 89 mounted directly upon the lever and moved therewith, but capable of swinging independent- 1y thereof.

The improved control includes the stub shaft 62 upon which all the levers 6! are loosely mounted and, further, comprises a plurality of manipulators 9i fixed to the shaft 62 to move therewith. These manipulators 9%] include pins 9|, certain of which are operatively associated with the fingers 85 and certain others of which are adapted to engage abutments 92 projecting from the lever extensions 84 so that the lever 5 i,

fingers 89, and pins 9! may be set properly in their relative positions for the release of all of the clutches.

The shaft 52 is manipulated by means of a lever 93 having suitable detent locking mechanism such, for instance, as disclosed in the oo pending application, Serial Number 26,657, aforesaid, whereby the shaft 62 may be rocked to, and locked in, either of two positions.

When the shaft 62 is turned by the lever 93,

certain of the pins 9! are engaged with the finview of the fact that one plunger 35 is always in engagement with its plate 82 due to the circumferential arrangement of the cam members 68, it will be understood that this particular plunger must be retracted the required distance to render the then active gear 33 inactive. This is accomplished after all the levers have been moved into proper alignment with each other and the respective plungers 85 retracted by the swinging of all the control fingers 39.

If advisable in practice, an indicator El may be used, and this indicator is mounted on the shaft 52 and turns thereabout. An extension 98 thereon comes into contact with the cam 68 as indicated in Figure 11 of the drawings. With the use of the control, the entire attachment may be readily rendered inoperative thereby enabling the usual friction on a full-fashioned knitting machine to be put into operation for the actuation of the thread carrier bars.

In the operation of the carrier bars, the knitting machine is set motion, and in the control of the shaft 22 by the ratchet mechanism driven off the main cam shaft ill, the sleeve 25 is turned, and with it the sets of cam members 68. As these sets of cam members are moved in their respective circular path, they swing the levers 5! one at a time, and in the swinging of the levers 6!, the individual clutch members are thrown into locked position for operating the respective shafts :22, thereby rotating gears 53 for the operation of the carrier bars, and simultaneously with the rotation of each gear :33, the remaining gears are held against rotation by the application of their associated brake devices.

By adjusting the stops 85 on ex ension 5 3 and the set screw 66 on the brake shoe 56 in relation to the tappet 85 on the extension 841, the relative operation of the brake and clutch may be timed so that the brake is gradually released as the clutch is engaged, and conversely the brake is gradually applied as the clutch is moved to disengaging position. In this manner, it is possible to check and brake the movement of the carrier bar as it approaches the limit of its stroke.

The successive steps in the operation of the brake and clutch mechanism will be better understood with reference to Figures 12 to 16 inclusive. In Figure 12, the lever 13! is shown in its neutral position. In this position, the cam 63 out of contact with the roller Gil 0f the lever ill, the clutch is fully disengaged while the brake is fully engaged, thus locking the carrier bar against movement in the manner hereinbefore stated. As the cam 58 is rotated in the direction of arrow .C, the inclined face a of said cam is brought in contact with the roller 52 As shown in Figure 13, the continued movement of the cam in the direction of arrow 6' causes said inclined face a of the cam to gradually swing the lever iii in the direction of arrow A, displac" ing the extension in the direction of arrow E, thus forcing the brake shoe 5 5 in the direction of arrow E for gradually releasing the brake as the clutch is being moved into engaging position until the high face 1) of the earn contacts the roller 59, as shown in Figure 14, when the brake is fully released and the clutch is fully engaged.

As illustrated in Figure 15, when the cam 68 is again moved in the direction of arrow C, the roller 68 ride down the inclined face 0 or" said cam whereby the lever iii gradually swung in the direction of arrow .8, thus displacing the extension in the direction of arrow F, and permitting the brake shoe to move in the direc-' tion of arrow F, accordingly causing the brake to be applied.

While the movement of the lever 0! in the direction of arrow B will also cause the extension 84 to move in the direction of arrow G, tending to permit the clutch to move towards disengaging position, the adjustment of the tappet 85 in relation to the elements 65 and 66 of the brake mechanism is such that the clutch does not become fully disengaged until the cam 68 has left the roller 69, as shown in Figure 16, so that, although the brake is applied as above set forth when said cam 68 starts to recede from the roller 09, the clutch remains sufficiently engaged to continue the driving of the carrier bar to the end of its stroke. Therefore, it will be understood that the carrier bar actually is checked in its yarn laying movement as it approaches the limit of its stroke.

In order that the brake may be applied before the cessation of the carrier rod movement when knitting both in the wide and narrow portions of the fabric, the angle and length of the inclined cam face is so calculated, and the adjustments of the elements 65, 68, and 85 are so regulated, that the brake is actuated to start its braking action at a point during the movement of the carrier bar in advance of the end of its narrowest stroke. The fact that said adjustments might cause the clutch to remain in engagement, although the carrier is arrested while the friction bar 48 continues to the end of its stroke, has no detrimental effect, since the rack H, as best shown in Figure 11, is driven through the friction box 09, which will slip, as usual, whenever resistance occurs.

In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that as each carrier bar reaches its position .of rest, the frictional action of the friction rod forces the carrier bar against the end stop, and before the carrier bar is relieved of its frictional pressure, a brake device has been set into operation for gradually braking and finally locking the carrier bar against rebound. This is a very important feature of the invention, because it enables the proper timing of the locking of the bar with its final movement under frictional pressure. When the carrier bar has been brought to rest and relieved of the turning action of its associated pinion due to the swing of the plunger 86 away from the plate 82, and the extension 64 has swung away from the shoe 56, thereby enabling the spring 80 to retract and draw the shoe into braking en agement with the jaws of the braking device, the jaws then grip the pulley tightly and lock the carrier bar securely against its stop, due to the fact that the pinion is prevented from turning because of the engagement of the brake with the pulley.

Through the use of the control device hereinbefore described, it is possible to render the entire mechanism inoperative insofar as the operation of the carrier bars is concerned, thereby enabling the carrier bars to be operated in the usual manner.

With reference to the use of the braking device alone, that is, the use of a braking device without the driving device as is shown more clearly in Figure 1, it will be appreciated that the operation of said braking device for snubbing or braking the movement of the carrier bar as it approaches the limit of its stroke is the same as described in conjunction with the combined braking and driving devices. In other words, the brake actuating el ments represented in Figure 1 are relatively adjusted so that the braking action on the carrier bar which, in this instance, is driven by the ordinary friction drive, occurs before the carrier bar reaches the end of its reciprocating movement as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore explained.

In Figure 17 of the drawings, there is shown a modified construction of the clutch and brake actuating mechanisms. In this construction, the operation of the clutch is effected by means of a lever em pivotally mounted on the stub shaft 62 in bearing bracket 63, the upper end portion or extension E ia, of the lever 6m being provided with an adjustable screw pin 86a adapted to engage a cushioning spring I00 mounted into clutch engaging disc 82. The lower end of the lever 6Ia carries a roller 69a for engagement with a clutch operating cam 68a on the shaft 22.

The brake pulley 5| cooperates with a brake device comprising an arcuate brake shoe IOI and a friction member I02 for engagement with the groove of said pulley. The brake shoe IN is carried upon a plunger I03 mounted in a sleeve I04 adapted to slide vertically in a bracket I05 on the supporting bar 28. The lower extremity of the sleeve I04 carries a roller I06 for engagement with a brake actuating cam 68b. The brake device is normally pressed downwardly by means of a spring I01 in compression between said bracket I05 and a shoulder I08 on the sleeve I04. An internal spring I09 is interposed between the bottom of the socket in the sleeve I04 and the lower extremity of the plunger I03 so as to provide a cushioning effect in the braking action, and a pin |I0 on the plunger I03 traverses registering slots (not shown) in the sleeve I04 and bracket I05 so as to limit the relative movement between said parts.

In the use of this modified construction, the operation of the clutch and brake is substantially the same as that of the preferred construction in that the relative positions of the cams 68a and 68b and the adjustments of the screw pin 86a are such that the brake operates to snub or brake the movement of the carrier bars as they approach the end of their stroke and to lock said carrier bars when they reach the end of their movement, the essential difference between the two constructions being that in the preferred form, the clutch and brake actuating mechanisms are combined and but a single set of cams 6B is required to actuate said mechanisms, whereas in the modified form, the clutch and brake actuating mechanisms are separate and two sets of cams are required, one set 68a controlling the clutch, and the other set 681) controlling the brake.

Of course, it will be understood that, as in the preferred form, the brake mechanism of the modified form may be used without the clutch mechanism. In that case, the carrier bars will be driven by the usual friction, the brake operating to snub and lock the carrier bars in the manner hereinbefore specified.

It is also to be understood that the various possible embodiments herein shown and described are capable of certain modifications without departing from the gist of the invention. Therefore, any modifications coming within the scope of the subjoined claims ar to be considered within the spirit of the invention.

In concluding, it is pointed out that my control mechanism is particularly advantageous in the selecting, driving, braking, and locking of carrier bars in their function in the knitting of flat fabric in accordance with the so-called Three-Carrier System, wherein three carrier bars are used, two located at one end of the machine and one located at the other end of the machine. With such an arrangement, it will be understood that my control mechanism is readily adaptable for the selective automatic unlocking and driving of the carrier bars one at a time in repeated sequence, and the braking and. locking of each bar as it reaches its final limit of travel in either direction.

What I claim is:

1. In a fiat knitting machine, the combination with a reciprocating carrier bar, of a mechanism including means in permanent positive engagement with the carrier bar and operable to brake the travel thereof as it approaches the limit of its stroke and to lock said carrier bar upon reaching the end of its stroke.

2. In a flat knitting machine, the combination with a reciprocating carrier bar, of a mechanism including means in permanent positive engagement with the carrier bar and operable to brake the travel thereof as it approaches the limit of its stroke, and to lock said carrier bar upon reaching the end of its stroke in either direction.

3. In a fiat knitting machine, the combination of a carrier bar and means functioning for imparting reciprocating movements tothe carrier bar, of a device including means in permanent positive engagement with the carrier bar and operable tofirst snub and brake the movements of the carrier bar at certain times during the function of said movement imparting means, and thereafter lock the carrier bar against movements.

4. A locking device for carrier bars comprising means in permanent positive engagement with the carrier bars for selectively snubbing and locking the latter and selecting mechanism controlling the selection of said means.

5. A locking device for carrier bars comprising means in permanent positive engagement with the carrier bars for selectively snubbing and locking the latter, and a progressively operable mechanism for controlling the selection of said means.

6. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination with a set of carrier bars and a power device of the knitting machine, arresting and lockin mechanism for said carrier bars for selectively arresting and locking the carrier bars in the operation thereof, said mechanism comprising a brake pulley for each carrier bar having an operativ-e connection therewith; a device coacting with each pulley for controlling the movement thereof; an actuating cam associated with each device; and operative connections between all of said actuating cams and the power device of the knitting machine whereby said cams may selectively operate said devices for selectively controlling the movement of the brak pullies.

7. In a fiat knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of carrier bars, and a mechanism for selectively operating said carrier bars in predetermined sequence, of means incorporated into and acting in synchronism with said mechanism for selectively braking the travel of a carrier bar as it approaches its limit of travel in either direction, and holding said carrier bar in its final position of rest.

8. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, in combination with at least three carrier bars, two located at one end of the machine and one located at the other end of the machine and each reciprocating in repeated sequence from one end to the other end of the machine, of a single mechanism for the selective automatic unlocking of the carrier bars one at a time in repeated sequence for reciprocation in either direction, and braking and locking each bar as it reaches its final limit of travel in either direction.

9. In a fiat knitting machine, the combination with a carrier bar driven for reciprocating movement, of a carrier bar snubbing and locking device comprising: a rotary member supported for axial rotation in the longitudinal plane of the carrier bar and having positive engagement therewith to normally be rotated thereby; and frictional means operable to engage the rotary member irictionally for braking the rotation thereof whereby to brake the reciprocating movement of the carrier bar in positive engagement therewith,

10. In a fiat knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of carrier bars each driven for individual reciprocating movement, of a carrier bar snubbing and locking device comprising: a rotary member for each carrier bar supported for axial rotation in the longitudinal plane of the latter and having positive engagement therewith to normally be rotated thereby; and friction devices, one for each rotary memher, and operable to engage the latter frictionally for braking the rotation thereof, whereby to brake the reciprocating movement of the carrier bar in positive engagement therewith.

11. In a fiat knitting machine, the combination with a carrier bar driven for reciprocating movement, of a carrier bar snubbing and locking device comprising: a toothed rack fixed on the carrier bar longitudinally thereof for reciprocation therewith; a gear device rotatably supported transversely of the carrier bar and enmeshed with the toothed rack thereon to normally be rotated by the reciprocation thereof; and means operable to engage said gear device for braking the rotation thereof whereby to brake the reciprocating movement of the carrier bar through said rack.

12. In a fiat knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of carrier bars, each driven for individual reciprocating movement, of a carrier bar snubbing and locking device comprising: a toothed rack fixed on each carrier bar longitudinally thereof for reciprocation therewith; a gear device for each carrier bar rotatably supported transversely thereof and enmeshed with the toothed rack thereon to normally be rotated by the reciprocation thereof; friction devices, one for each gear device, and operable to engage the latter for braking the rotation thereof whereby to brake the reciprocating movement of the carrier bar through the rack fixed thereon and enmeshed with said gear; and a mechanism for operating said friction devices in synchronism with the individual reciprocating movement of each carrier bar.

13. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination with a plurality of reciprocating carrier bars, arresting and locking mechanism therefor, comprising: a control device for each carrier bar and operable first to brake the movement of the associated carrier bar when appoaching the end of its stroke in either direction, and then to lock the same upon reaching the end of its stroke in either direction; and, means common to all of said devices for selectively operating each Icvlevice to arrest and lock its associated carrier 14. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination with a plurality of reciprocating carrier bars an a main cam shaft, arresting and locking mechanism for said bars comprising: a control device for each carrier bar and operable first to brake the movement of the associated carrier bar when approaching the end of its stroke in either direction, and then to lock the same upon reaching the end of its stroke in either direction; and, means common to all of said devices for selectively operating each device to arrest and lock its associated carrier bar, said means including actuating elements, one for each of said control devices, and connections between the main cam shaft and said elements for selectively actuating the latter.

15. In a flat knitting machine, the combination with a carrier bar driven for reciprocating movement, of a carrier bar snubbing and locking device comprising: a rotary member supported for engagement with the carrier bar to normally be rotated thereby; and means operable to engage the rotary member for braking the rotation thereof, whereby to brake the reciprocating movement of the carrier bar in engagement therewith.

16. In a fiat knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of carrier bars, each driven for individual reciprocating movement, of a carrier bar snubbing and locking device comprising: a rotary member for each carrier bar supported for engagement therewith to normally be rotated thereby; and, devices, one for each rotary member, and operable to engage the latter for braking the rotation thereof whereby to brake the reciprocating movement of the carrier bar in engagement therewith.

17. In a flat knitting machine, the combination with a carrier bar driven for reciprocating movement, of a carrier bar snubbing and locking device comprising: a toothed rack on the carrier bar and reciprocating therewith; a gear device rotatably supported for engagement with the toothed rack on the carrier bar to normally be rotated by the reciprocation thereof; and, means operable to engage said gear device for braking the rotation thereof whereby to brake the reciprocating movement of the carrier bar through said rack.

18. In a flat knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of carrier bars each driven for individual reciprocating movement, of a carrier bar snubbing and locking device comprising: a toothed rack on each carrier bar and reciprocating therewith; a gear device for each carrier bar rotatably supported for engagement with the toothed rack thereon to normally be rotated by the reciprocation thereof; devices, one for each gear device and operable to engage the latter for braking the rotation thereof whereby to brake the reciprocating movement of the carrier bar through the rack thereon and in engagement with said gear; and, a mechanism for operating said devices in synchronism with the individual reciprocating movement of each carrier bar.

JOSEPH L. BEERS. 

